Thread: King Double Temper restoration

I picked this up a few weeks ago and a fellow board member put the bug in my ear to get it done. We're both from Pa. as is this razor and he is a King razor fan which I found out after spending time with him at a recent Meet Up.
I had to keep this razor original. Granted it is much easier in some respects to just polish up a blade, put some current fad scales on it and call it done. Easy!
But trying for an original restore presents it's own challenges. The blade was pretty much straight forward. Remove the rust and pitting , recreate the original texture, polish up the spine and shaft as they were and that's that.
The scales not looking like most used today are just too neat in person. The colors just don't translate well in these photos.
But the real fun and challenging part of this was something as simple as a pin.
These , as you can see in the original photos were much like you'd find on an Ivory scaled razor. No washers. The 1/16 pin was made to look like a small button.
I tried several possibilities and settled on this solution. In the shots you can see what I did,, but with the razor in hand you can't tell the difference.I included a typical #0 washer and 1/16 pin for reference.
Hope you enjoy it. I'm sure I will as it settles into my collection and rotation.

Very nice, the scales look great.

Very Nice! You and other restorers just blow me away!! I can be very proud of a 'clean up' that I'd just done and then see this!!

I've often told guys who I've offered to help that I 'clean up' razors, I'm not a restorer!

Thanks for sharing such great work!

thank you gentlemen I appreciate it.
But cudarunner you bring up a topic I've been mulling over recently. Maybe it's the subject of a post in itself but it relates to restoring vs. as you say "cleaning up" a vintage blade.
Now I won't get into it here but I've been wondering just what is happening with these 'relics" ..
Should we polish them till the cows come home, slap some current fad of a scale on a 100 yr old blade and go Wooooo,, awesome scales. Shiny blade!
Do they really belong on them or is it just eye candy where we're attracted to shiny things.
I don't know.
Maybe it falls into the same thing that happens with cars. Some will say , "restore it to what is was" and others will say, " Put some fancy paint and wheels on it and build a hot rod out of it" I think there will be two camps on this.
All I know is there is a certain challenge to bring a razor back to what it was ( provided it it salvageable ) to what it was in it's glory or as close to what it looked like when it left the factory.
You want me to do bling with polish so my wife can put her makeup on using my blade, easy. Want G10 or Micarta scales,, give me a half hour. Where is the artistry in that. A band saw and some sandpaper and you have scales in no time.
But the time it takes to research and build these things to what they were takes a different tack.
It's harder in many ways if you want to do it properly and authentically.
Sorry, I'm rambling trying to make heads or tails out of my thoughts about such things.
Just trying to come to terms.
Most clients want mirror finishes. A current client sent me a J. Rodgers "Cutlers to their Majesties" blade with a beautiful etch on it reading "Reliable" and he wanted me to make up some wild scales, remove the etch, sculpt the spine, do a Spanish point on this blade.
I sat on it for ages until I said " I'm not your man" I'll restore this great blade to what it should be or I'm sending it back.
I'm sorry,, the client isn't always right.
I'm restoring it for him.

This subject was in a pretty heated thread recently. I don't think we should ever stop thinking about it. +1 on your Joseph Rogers decision.

Thank you guys!
I missed that discussion . Do you know where I can find it.

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Originally Posted by mycarver

Thank you guys!
I missed that discussion . Do you know where I can find it.

I appreciate the link .

Now that I read the thread I feel rather silly for rambling on like I did when this has been covered .Sorry about that guys.

I think this is an important discussion. I agree it has similarities with the car hobby - I've build a couple of hot rods, but they were made from an unresortable hulk and a car that had no historical significance whasoever. Charlie posted a progression of changes to razors, from cleanup to full out custom a year or two back that spoke to this. I personally would not make a full out custom out of a razor that had any historical significance, or was older that 1892. And you are right, Carver, that's a lot more work, including research. That's just my two cents worth. I suppose the most extreme position would be that all full outs should be made from scratch, or Gold Dollars. I don't mean to stir the hornet's nest here. Ultimately, it is a decision each of us makes, and there may be no right answer.
Peace

Man you did a great job on the double temper! The scale color/pattern is sweeeet! I hope you'd don't accidentally send that back along with the Gold Aro. I may not be as nice as Brian was about returning it.